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New low in US-Russia relations

August 8, 2013

US President Barack Obama's decision call off a meeting with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, after whistle-blower Edward Snowden was granted asylum marks a new low in Washington-Moscow relations.

https://p.dw.com/p/19LlG

The choice to cancel a face-to-face meeting between Obama in Putin next month was just the latest row in what the White House has called a recent "lack of progress" between the US and Russia.

The two countries have been at odds over a number of issues, including reactions to the ongoing Syrian civil war, a US missile defense system in Europe, human rights and the adoptions of Russian children by Americans.

"We looked at the utility of the summit in light of a number of issues and a number of challenges that we've encountered and decided that it did not make sense to have that bilateral summit in Moscow in September," White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters on Wednesday.

Although Obama is annoyed that Russia granted asylum to Snowden, the man responsible for revealing the US' far-reaching, global internet and phone spying programs, he is still expected to attend September's G20 summit in St. Petersburg.

Russia has said it is "disappointed" with Obama's decision. Putin's foreign affairs advisor Yuri Ushakov said the move was "clearly linked" to the Snowden case, a contentious issue he said was not created by Russia.

dr/pfd  (AP, AFP)